Face-protector.



Patented Aug. 22, 1899.

E. MUSSELMAN.

FACE PROTECTOR.

(Application filed Apr. 12, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT O EIcE EPHRAIM MUSSE'LMAN, OF OELINA, OHIO.

FAC E-PROTECTO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part-of Letters Patent No. 631,375, dated August 22, 1899. Application filed April 12, 1899. Serial No. 712,815. (No model-J To otZZ whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, EPHRAIM MUssELMAN, a citizen of the United States; residing at Oelina,in the county of Mercer and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Face-Protector, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wearing-apparel, and more especially to a protector to be worn upon the head; and the object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient device of this character which can be employed in wintryand severe weather and which serves to maintain the warmth of different parts of the head that are generally subjected to the cold; and the protector can be manufactured from cloth, of cloth and fur combined, or

other suitable material, and it can be made of different weights to suit different seasons and climates. It can be employed as a mask, audit includes in its construction a transparent flexible eyepiece adapted to cover the eyes, and which permits of an unobstructed Vision by the wearer when the protector is in place. a

With these ends in view the invention consists in the novel combination of elements and in the construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

To enable others to understand the invention, I have illustrated the preferred embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which'- Figure 1 is a face view of the protector in its unfolded position and the two cheek and eye pieces being represented as down. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the protector with the cheek and nose flaps shown in their two positions by full and dotted lines. Fig. 3 is an inside view of the upper portion of the protector. Fig. 4' is a perspective view of the nose-piece with its attached elastics. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line a: m, Fig. r 7

Like characters denotecorrcsponding parts in each of the several figures of the drawings.

The device includes in its organization two side flaps or supporting-straps 2, which are adapted to fit against the sides and back of the head and the rear ends of which are adapted to overlap, and one of these side flaps is provided with a tab 3, of flexible webbing, which is to be detaehably connected by means of a suitable fastening device, as 4, to the adjacent or under portion of the complemental and duplicate flap, and the fastening represented consists of a hook and eye, and

by the provision of the flexible tab the device 'is adapted to adjust itself to heads of different sizes and to fit snugly thereon.

A transparent eyepiece 5 is provided, and it is made, preferably, of flexible material, such as mica, audit is fitted between the two substantially rectangular sections 6 of an eyepiece-frame, said sections being made substantially long and being preferably formed of leather or similar flexible material, so as slightly to curve over the eyes, and as the part 5 is transparent the vision of the wearer cannot be affected when the protector is on his head. The two sections 6 of the eyepieceframe are secured togetheralong their oppo site longitudinal portions and along one of the endzor transverse portions, and preferably by means of stitching 7, and this constr-uction leaves an opening at one end of the frame by which the flexible transparent eyepiece can be introduced or removed, as occasion requires. The inner section of the eyepiece-frame projects beyond the ends and top of said frame, as at 8, and the side flaps 2, to which I have hereinbefore referred, are socured to the projecting end portions by means of stitching, while the segmental foreheadcovering piece 9 is secured to the upper projecting port-ion of said eyepiece-frame.

The side flaps 2 cover the face and rear partof the head, while the forehead-piece 9 extends over the forehead, andto protect the cheeks I provide two substantially similar cheek flaps or covers 10, of segmental form, which are stitched across their upper edges .to the eyepiece-frame and to the side flaps 2 and which when the article is not in use are adapted to fold or lie against and over the eyepiece-frame, as indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3. \Vhen the protector is to be placed in position, the cheek pieces or tabs 10 will be drawn downward, so as to be placed against the cheeks, and in like manner the nose-piece 12 will be drawn down over the nose, said nose-piece being flexibly connected with the cheek-pieces, so that it can be pulled down and placed over the nose. This nosepiece is of substantially the same shape as the cheek-pieces except that it is wider than 1 the same and is adapted to fold thereagainst and is stitched or otherwise secured at its corners to the flexible pieces or elastics 13, secured at their ends to the opposite cheekpieces 10.

An apron is shown at 14., and it is detachably connected to the side flaps and is adapted principally to protect the lower part of the face,below the mouth, and also the upper part of the chest. Said apron 14 is connected with the flaps by hooks and eyes 15, although equivalent means can be employed for thus uniting the parts, and the curved upper edge 16 of the apron fits snugly against the lower part of the head and directly against the face immediately under the mouth, and the clastic 17 is stitched along the edge 16, so as to hold the apron firmly in place and to render it self-adjustive to difierent heads.

It will be understood by reference to Fig. 1 that the nose and cheek pieces entirelycover the opening between the eyepiece, the side flaps, and the apron, and the inner adjacent edges of the cheek-pieces do not meet, so as to accommodate the nose of the wearer therebetween. In stitching the nose and cheek pieces to the eyepiece-frame the former are folded upward against the latter, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, and are then stitched across their straight edges to the lower side of the eyepiece-frame. This upwardly-folded position is the normal position assumed by the nose and cheek pieces. IVhen the latter are folded down for use and over the line of stitching, there will be a tension thereon or tendency to assume the former position, which tension causes the nose and cheek pieces to tightly hug the face. It is preferable to give the cheek-pieces a rounded shape, as such shape will fit more evenly and tightly against the face and prevent the rising of the breath of the wearer to the eyepiece. By thus preventing the rise of the breath of the wearer to the eyepiece the latter is always kept unclouded and free from moisture or dampness, which otherwise would collect upon the eyepiece and impair the vision of the wearer, as will be understood. 4

An article constructed as aforesaid covers all the parts of the head which are generally exposed to the wind, and it may be made of any suitable material or of different weights, and by reason of the features of construe,

1' tion hercinbcfore. described the protector is adapted to snugly fit heads of different sizes. Changes in the form, proportion, size, and the minor details of construction within the i scope of the appended claims may be resorted l to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention. Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 1. As an article of manufacture, a faceprotector comprising a transparent eyepiece, means for supporting the same, a pair of folding cheek-flaps connected with one edge of the eyepiece and spaced apart at their inner edges, and a flexible nose-cover connected with said cheek-flaps and movable therewith, said flaps and nose cover being normally strained in an upward direction, substantially as set forth.

2.,As an article of manufacture, a faceprotector com prising a transparent eyepiece, means for supporting the same, a pair of folding segmental cheek-flaps connected with one edge of the eyepiece and spaced apart at their inner edges, a nose-cover bridging the space between the inner edges of the cheek-flaps and movable therewith, and elastic connections between the nose-cover and the cheekflaps, said cheek-flaps and nose-cover being normally strained in an upward direction, and adapted to assume positions over the eyepiece when not in use, substantially as set forth.

3. As an article of manufacture, a faceprotector comprising a transparent eyepiece, supporting-straps connected with the ends of the eyepiece, a protector-apron pendent from the supporting-straps and connected therewith in a plane below the eyepiece, a pair of folding cheek-flaps, connected with one edge of the eyepiece and spaced apart at their inner edges, and a flexible nose-cover bridging the space between the flaps and flexibly connected therewith, said cheek-flaps and nosecover being adapted to be held in position for covering the opening between the eyepiece, the supporting-straps, and the protectorapron, substantially as set fOllll.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EPHRAIM MU SSELMAN.

\Vitnesses: 1

JOSEPH Wrss, J. E. HAMBURGER. 

